Travels with V
Basque, Spain
Hemmingway's favourite
Basque part 3, Pamplona
Pamplona, our next stop is of course famous for its bull runs, actually quite gruesome events where a bunch of bulls are forced to run through Pamplona’s streets to the big bullfighting arena. Hordes of young men try to run before the terrified bulls, and inevitably some people are hurt every year.
This event draws huge crowds during the yearly “San Fermin” festival that has been going on for many hundreds of years. One famous guest who returned many times was the american author Ernest Hemingway. He always stayed at hotel Perla and walked across the street to Café Iruña for drinks. He is remembered in both places, in Iruña’s bar even in full figure.
The bullfight arena is huge, the second largest in Spain. We are shown around and feel a bit uncomfortable in the stalls where they keep the stressed bulls before it’s their turn to be killed.
On days with no bullfight visitorscan borrow equipment to play and train to be toreadors.
Pamplona was once the capital of the kingdom of Navarra and had a royal castle midtown. There’s however no traco of it today except in the name of the central square. But its grand palaces bear witness of a glorious past, and so in a way does the imposing and intricate defense works around the city, particularly on the south side where an attack was most expected.
We have a room high up in a rather fancy hotel, and outside our window there’s a green and lush park. And in this park there’s a little garden restaurant, quite simple with chairs and tables directly on the ground. But it turns out to be one of the most popular joints in town, and when after some waiting we get a table we order grilled sardines, patatas bravas and tuna tartar. And two glasses of chilled verdejo wine. Life is simply wonderful at times like these.
It goes without saying that in Pamplona too there is a pintxos/tapas district. Quarters with the usual picturesque narrow streets lined with busy taverns where hungry guests wait for their turn to order some of the delicious creations in the counter. The waiters hurry like mad men to serve all. As in all cities.
